I don't own Beyblade or any of the characters, so you don't sue me.
Thanks again to all my reviewers! You guys are indeed the greatest, and you keep this story going.
Last Chapter:
Bryan raised an eyebrow. "I think I can handle a simple ride". He glanced at Max, Ian, and Tyson. "Alright, you three. Pick a non-watery ride and let's go". Ian got a smirk on his face and whispered something to Max and Tyson, who nodded eagerly before pulling Bryan off.
Rei snickered, taking back the towel and watching them walk off. "I hope he likes heights...they're going to the pirate ship". (A/N: You know, the boat-thing that goes way up, then swings back down really fast?).
Tala watched all of this, deep in thought. Why was it that whenever Bryan and Rei talked, he felt...well, for lack of a better word, painstakingly jealous? He hadn't thought he harbored any leftover feelings for Bryan, but his recent reactions were making him rethink that. But...he was with Kai. He liked being with Kai. He growled inwardly. These...emotions...were a pain in the ass to deal with.
Unexpected
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Ian, Tyson, and Max came back another fifteen minutes later. "Where's Bryan?", asked Kenny. "He ran to the bathroom as soon as we got off", said Tyson. Rei started laughing.
He was still laughing when Bryan came back a few minutes later. "I hate you", muttered Bryan, glaring at Rei. "Payback's a bitch", said Rei calmly, smirking. "C'mon, it's time for the show". Bryan mumbled a few obscenities in Russian before following everyone to the tent.
They came back in the evening. Rei was starting to shiver, and was sniffling. "Are you feeling okay, Rei?", asked Max, who had gotten over his sugar high. "Yeah, I'm–achoo!–fine", mumbled Rei, sniffing.
"Go to sleep when we get back", said Kenny. "You don't want to catch a cold. I'll grab some aspirin for you". "Thanks Chief", said Rei, before sneezing again. He didn't notice Bryan looking at him, concerned.
Rei woke up the next morning feeling, well, like shit. "Oh, wonderful", he groaned, though in his condition it sounded more like, "Oh, wondurbul". He flopped back onto his bed and sniffled. "Damn it".
Bryan decided to stop by that evening and see if Rei was feeling any better. He walked over to the Bladebreakers' complex and knocked. Max let him in. "Oh, hey Bryan", he said, smiling. "Rei's not feeling too well. He's got a really bad cold, temperature and everything. If you want, you can go see him upstairs".
Bryan nodded, not really comfortable with just Max around. He jogged up the stairs, passing Kai on the way.
Kai, like Tala, was also confused about what he was feeling. He had been so sure when he broke up with Rei...it wasn't like him to have doubts. But seeing Bryan and Rei together made him, admittedly, jealous. Why?
He knew that he liked Tala. He wanted to be with Tala. But part of him...was wondering if maybe he should've stayed with Rei. He shook his head. He would have to talk to someone in order to figure all of the conflicting emotions out, as he knew he wouldn't figure it out by himself. Emotions had never been his strong point. But to whom would he talk?
Bryan entered Rei's room. "Tyson, if that's you, no, I do not want any of your pineapple-tomato soup", said Rei's voice, muffled because his head was under a pillow.
"...Pineapple and tomato soup?", asked Bryan. Rei poked his head out of the pillow, and said, "Oh, hey. Yeah, Tyson thinks the remedy to my cold is his grandfather's famous soup".
Bryan snickered. "I fear for your safety all of a sudden", he said. "So do I", mumbled Rei. "So do I. So what's up? As you can see, I'm not exactly in any condition to go out right now". His labored breathing and flushed cheeks were testament to that.
"I figured. Just came to see how you were doing...obviously not well, by the looks of it", said Bryan, smirking slightly. "Come here and say that", threatened Rei, shaking a fist.
Bryan couldn't help himself and started laughing. "What?!", demanded Rei, before sneezing. "You're completely bed-ridden and you're still arguing with me", said Bryan, amused. "Do you ever give up?".
"No, that's the 'annoyingly upbeat' way of the Bladebreakers", said Rei, before sniffing miserably. "Wait. Now I give up", he said, sighing and throwing himself back on his bed. "I don't have the energy to keep going".
Bryan smiled slightly. "I expect a rematch, then", he said. Rei nodded. "As soon as I'm outta this bed, I'm back to mentally outdoing you", he promised.
Bryan laughed again. "So confident", he remarked, smirking evilly. "Always", agreed Rei, before sneezing. "Ugh", he mumbled, shutting his eyes. "Colds suck".
Bryan smirked again. "Weak as a kitten...hmm, I might have to take advantage of this". Rei's eyes shot back open. "You wouldn't", he said, locking eyes with Bryan.
Bryan grinned. "I dunno", he pondered. "You, here, vulnerable, and looking so...delicious, too...". Rei backed up against his bed. "Nuh-uh-uh, Falcon", he shot back. "You won't". "How do you know?", challenged Bryan. "For one, I could start yelling and have Max, Tyson, or Kenny in here in seconds", pointed out Rei.
"Damn. Forgot about that...oh well. Maybe they'd like to join us?", teased Bryan. Rei glared at him and bore his fangs. "Try it and you'll never get any", he threatened.
Bryan smirked. "So you're admitting that I will, eventually". Rei blushed slightly. "Err...", he mumbled. Bryan realized that this was a touchy subject for Rei. He also realized that he needed to defuse the tension, so he grinned. "I win".
Rei blinked. "Huh?", he asked. Would Bryan ever stop being so damned enigmatic? "I win", repeated Bryan. "Our little bantering spat. You lost. I won". Rei nearly fell over. "...".
Bryan was amused. He has no idea how...attractive that is, he mused, looking at Rei. "Still speechless? Wow. I really did a number on you, Tiger", he teased. "When I get out of this bed, you will pay", vowed Rei darkly, glowering at him.
Bryan just snickered, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. "I'm sure I will, but...it was so worth it", he remarked casually. He snickered again as Rei tried to give him a withering glare. "You need to take lessons from Kai, Tiger. His glare is scary. Yours is just...cute".
Rei rolled his eyes. "Eugh. Will everyone please stop calling me cute? Or adorable? Or anything that makes me seem like such a...". "Kitten?", finished Bryan.
"Yes! I hate being compared to a cat! A tiger is fine, I can see the parallels...I mean, I was a White Tiger, my bit beast is a tiger, I'm a neko-jin, but in no way is that kitten-like!", Rei exclaimed.
"But then you go and do things like this that are just so...adorable", teased Bryan. "Like what?!", demanded Rei. "Like throwing a temper tantrum", replied Bryan.
"I am not!", protested Rei indignantly, "I'm just stating my complaints!". "In a huffy, pouting way", added Bryan. "...Shut up", muttered Rei.
Bryan just snickered again, then paused. "I am...kinda sorry, you know", he said finally. "For what?", asked Rei, before sneezing again.
"It is sort of my fault that you got sick, what with the bumper boats and all", admitted Bryan.
Rei sniffled before smiling reassuringly at him. "Don't worry about it. It was bound to happen anyways. I'm from China, remember? I'm used to warm weather, not cold. I would've gotten sick anyways. Besides, I got back at you with the pirate ship".
Bryan glowered at him. "I'm still queasy from that, by the way", he said, frowning at Rei.
Rei pouted at him. "Aw, you aren't still angry over that, are you?", he asked, sniffling. Bryan tried to glare harder, but failed miserably. Rei looked at him with big watery eyes and he sighed, giving up.
Rei smirked. "Puppy eyes, patented by Max. Once the skill is learned, no one can refuse it".
Bryan glowered at him. "Someday", he vowed darkly. "Someday".
Rei snickered. "In your dreams", he replied, before sneezing again. "Your nightmares", shot back Bryan. "You aren't scary enough to be in my nightmares. Never were", said Rei, smirking again.
Bryan frowned. "I put you in the hospital and made you lose you bit beast for the second time and you weren't scared of me at all? Damn it".
"Yeah, you're getting soft", teased Rei. "But I like you better this way".
Bryan tilted his head. "You do, hmm? And why does your opinion matter to me?", he asked, smiling wickedly.
Rei grinned at him, flashing a fang in the process. "Because you adore me", he said dramatically, throwing his arms around a startled (and rather creeped out) Bryan. "You want me and need me, and you can't get enough of me". He laughed as Bryan inched away from him.
"Is your cold medicine getting to you?", asked Bryan. "Nope. You're just easy to scare", said Rei, still laughing mercilessly, sometimes coughing in between. Bryan glared at him, then glanced at his watch. "I should be going", he said, sighing. "You need sleep, and I have training tomorrow, early".
"How early is early?", asked Rei. "Five thirty in the morning", replied Bryan, wincing. "...You're insane", stated Rei, sniffling. "Absolutely, positively insane".
"And yet somehow you like me anyways", remarked Bryan. "...Yeah, I do", said Rei, smiling at him. Bryan couldn't resist and kissed him deeply before grabbing his coat.
"You'll probably catch my cold now", said Rei, smiling at him. Bryan smirked. "...It was worth it. Later, Rei", he said, walking out and running down the stairs.
Rei smiled before sneezing again. "Damn cold", he muttered, reaching for a new box of tissues.
Aww…poor Rei! I made him sick. But hey, he got kisses, which is more than I can say for me…*sighs*. Anyways, please review and share your thoughts! Until next time!